Harsh Reality
by Pluto2000
Summary: -Rated M 'cause I've got no clue where my words will take this. Most likely violence- I noticed most Vampire stories are biased with male vamps. I just want to offer a change of tune.
1. Chapter 1

**Okay, before I start, I'm just going to say that I will not be updating this very often, only when I have time to sit and write a considerable amount. That being said I'll try to update twice a month.**

Prologue

Alyss looked mournfully out her second-story window at the sheets of rain falling from the sky, but she understood the sky's sorrow. At least, she agreed with the dreary downpour for passing of her young sister had seen to that.

-Flashback- " _Lee! Get over here! You need to see this!" A twelve-year-old Alyss called to her sister, Natalie, who was eight. "Coming Al!" They were inseparable and the best of friends, dispite their decision to call each other nicknames that sounded boyish. Natalie rushed through the light spring rain toward her sister, out of nowhere, a black speck appeared in the sky and began to grow rapidly. Alyss judged the trajectory, speed, and size of the object and her mind seemed to cease functioning. She couldn't scream or move at all, she was frozen as Natalie closed the gap between her sister and herself, the item she was going to show her sister forgotten. The dot grew and grew as Natalie was about a seventy yards away. Alyss crumpled, now unconscious as her sister got even closer and was shoved to the ground by a shockwave of air pressure before an aircraft claimed the ground the child was on, followed by a small boom that echoed over the vast woods, not to be heard by another sentient being... -_ End Flashback-

Alyss swallowed and shook her head. She was nowhere _near_ that part of the world anymore. She was away, miles upon leagues away. She had to start anew, without old wounds, and restart she would, even iif it killed her.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter I - Alice

I'm Alice McCatrty, and let me start by saying this, the world you know is fake. All the myths you hear of vampires, all the stories that stem from our origins and livelihoods... most are false. I know because my great, great, great grandma told me about us... that is the Jiangshi. There are many variations of vampires. such as the Jiangshi-type (pronounced chong-shee), the 'regular' Dracula-type, so on. So, to make this easier for your little mortal head, I'll start at the beginning. My great, great, great grandmother's name is Alyss and my great grandfather's name is Dracula. So my heritage runs deep, deep into the vampire history. I am young yet I've seen much, much more than I would have liked to, as I'm only twenty, but it can't be helped I suppose. Grandma Alyss left me in the care of ignorant, mundane humans so I had to adopt their last name, and then she went and died on me. I've gone through school and such, but I don't plan on going to college, but that's waaaay off track. I'm a Jianula-type, enabling me to sustain myself on blood, human food, as well as the sickening but sometimes necessary option of killing humans to absorb their life force, or _soul_ I suppose you could say.

Much of what your foolish book-writer/authors is true. Sunlight, for instance, can hurt us very, very severely. We have to use thick UV protection gear and layers of sunblock. We-oh... I keep saying 'we' I'm sure you're wondering about that! My little brot-ow! Twin, I meant twin brother... he's here too, though he doesn't talk much. Anyway, back on track! We can only drink blood from living creatures, and only if the target is willing. It was the work of a witch who died shortly before the birth of my mother. She created it at great grandpa Dracula's own request. We do _not_ have the wonderous hearing that has been pegged as stereotypical, though our keen vision is unrivaled, it being clear as daylight through a telescope no matter what time it is. Wooden stakes are annoying, yes, but you humans have managed to mix us up between the mutts. They are the ones that need to watch out for the sharpened wooden rods welded by you brilliantly dumb brutes. The Dracula and Jiangshi are hindered by sunlight and pure copper. As you're myths say, we are pale and somewhat cold to the touch, though not to the degree that would stand out much. As so often believed, our physical appearance is also enhanced, though some of the more pathetecally vain still use make-up. Our eyes glow a deep mahogany when feeding on the life-liquid, blood, so public affection to us is never a good idea, it violently cranks up our hunger a notch and alerts Hunters as to where we are, as they have somehow developed a wreched eye-scanner and they slip those machines into cities by the billions. Our strength and speed is immeasurable, though the mutts can match us if they're pressed, making them a number one nuisanse to us all.

I don't understand your fascination with supernutural beings such as us, but I will tell you one thing that may, I repeat _may_ , help if you heed it. Close this tab, back out of this story. Quite reading, do not move on, as it could destroy your life. We can smell it, you know. The smell knowledge of the Truth is quite potent and isn't easily hidden it's safer to remain ignorant of things. As a saying goes 'Ignorance is bliss'... that isn't just the random muttering of strangers, it's true, _very_ true. But. Since you're still reading, I suppose my warning failed or your reading skills need work. Either way... sit back and watch my tale unfold.

* * *

 **I realize this chapter is short, but so is my time. Next update should be 2000+ words.**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter II - Alice

It was a long while ago, really. Grandma Alyss was still alive, well, relatively. I sat at her side as she stared blankly at the ceiling, bleeding heavily from around a thick wedge of copper stuck ing her side. "Alyss! Grandma Alyss!" I called softly, waving a hand in front of her face making her blink. Her eyes focused and the pain in them was forced back as she looked into my eyes. "Alice. You're old enough to care for yourself now. Go, here," she handed me a crumpled piece of paper "There are a few things you need to know..." That's how I got shipped off to school for the next miserable years of my life, living among food and friends. I was often classed as the 'Goth' or some other ridiculous nickname dispite being the most popular girl there. I was what they called 'hot' which I later discovered had nothing to do with my temperature.

Dracule

Let me stop her there, she's not being very truthful... you thought I didn't exist, right? Well I had to endure that hell as well -hey that rhymes!- It was even worse for me, a herd of rabid over-make-uped girls kept thinking I was a damn _guy_. I mean, really... I'm not, I'm Dracule McCatrty, twin sister of Alice and younger by three minutes. It was awful, she'd always trip me or something as I was running from the-

Alice

That's enough. (No, I won't give the mic back, Drac, oh what? You _don't_ like that name? Drake it is, then!) Anyways, back to the important bits. We lived that way for years, tolerating what others would have been overjoyed to have: popularity. Our skin doesn't pale too much when vampiration has occured... or one is born as such, but noticeably so, and vampiration causes all imperfections in one's outward appearance to be removed, resulting in what could be called 'perfection'. As soon as we looked physically old enough to get out of school, we ditched and ran away. We didn't count on the Gods to take interest in us... though I will admit it was quite flattering.

* * *

It was midday on a Wednesday, so no one out and about. Drac and I had skipped school on the pretense of illness and were making our get away. Our 'siblings' and 'parents' were at school and work respectively. By the time we had exited the city limits, we were running fast enough to get pulled over for speeding, that is if the speed limit was 65. We were running south, not really caring where we were headed, only that we were free, at last!

Easily twenty minutes later, there was no sign of any city or human establishment at all. We stopped beside a small stream, it was barely more than a trickle, and drank a bit. "Well." Dracule grumbled "Now what?" I looked at her skeptically and asked "Alyss told us of the sanctuary, right? Couldn't we go there?"

"No, Alice, she said it _was_ a sanctuary. It's probably been bulldozed and built as something else hundreds of times already." As Dracule finished, I guess my face was less than promising and she sighed "Though why I expected you to have thought of that is beyond me." I sighed sulkily. Dispite being older, I'm usually ignored and trampled on by Dracule. Though I don't know why, but this time it didn't really bother me. And that is when things started getting interesting... well, for me anyway!

There was a loud crunching sound and Drake and I went back to back so we could keep an eye out for danger, though I thought a little danger would be fun. Drake elbowed me lightly in my ribs and muttered "Alice. Look." I turned a bit even twenty feet in front of us was a gaping chasm in the earth... which wasn't always there, mind you. Something stirred in the shadows and Drake squeaked (Yes you did **_TO_** squeak, no denying it!) Before the disgruntled noise had completely faded away, a tall figure was standing on the edge of the chasm, watching us just as intently as we were watching it.

"Hello~?" I called, making the figure's head turn slightly in my direction, and I saw something that will forever be etched into my memory: it was a woman for sure. She was beautiful, with unmarred porcelain skin and black hair, a graceful tall and liethe body... that's what I saw at first. But then... it was _then_ when she turned to face us completely that I shuddered and Drake sucked in a shallow breath, lacking the conscious thought of getting more sure into her system. The woman who had looked so perfect revealed her flaw. Her other side was skeletal, with tatters of town flesh and clothes hanging off her ribs and caught in her joints. A foot of white bone showed beside the fully fleshed one, peering out from under her ankle length shirt. A cloth much like a toga was thrown haphazardly on her torso, barely covering her and her face was stern... except for the half grin the skull side was giving us.

Oh, and I didn't mention she only had half a head of hair? Well she did. I was ready to run but Drake the Snake (owww! I didn't mean it, stop, Dracule!) She decided she'd talk to the undead creature. "Hello?" She asked curiously, "Who are you and whaddya want?" We received no reply I almost thought she hadn't heard but then she started to move, an odd, uneven gait which betrayed the fact that one of her legs wasn't... right. After noting the odd gait, I realized she was coming _right toward us_! I tugged on Drake's arm "Drake we need to go!" I hissed, but my little brother (I mean sister... Yeah, sister!) never moved... She was waiting, just waiting.

Dracule

I was waiting (no, you dummy... not for _death_!) for the person to get close enough... I think I reremembered her from somewhere. She closed the distance to a mere two yards and looked me and Alice up and down, silently speculating. It clicked "You're Hel, you were Alyss' friend, weren't you? She told us a lot about you." I mentally kicked myself for NOT forcing my voice pitch higher, she probably thought I was a damn boy now.

A light laugh filled the air and it took Alice and I a few seconds to realize it was coming from the woman, Hel. Alice nearly shrieked (yes you did! I can sense that stuff though our link, you know!) I eyed her suspiciously and said "What's so funny?" The laughter stopped abruptly and Hel's single, emerald green eye glittered in mild mirth, even as her face stilled into a mask of indifference. "Yes, I am indeed Hel, though I figured that old bat would forget me-" here Hel smirked "-though it seems she has passed on her blunt, endearing mannerisms. So I shouldn't have worried that much."

Three hours later, Alice and I sat eight thousand feet under the crust of the Earth in a dining hall fit for gods (oh come on, it was too funny!) along with Hel and her esteemed guests; a heavyset man with a funny headdress with a distinct symbol on it... he's Osiris, I believe. A gaunt man wearing all black with pitch black hair that might've reached his shoulders if it wasn't in a ponytail and eyes that seemed sunk in his eye sockets, Hades if I'm not mistaken. And last but absolutely not least, a man in a magnificently tailored deep crimson tuxedo, a hint of facial hair and short, slicked back, black hair, was none other than Pluto, Hades' twin. Alice was looking worse for wear, her face strained and smile a bit drained, being more forced them I'd seen it in a long time. Honestly she looked a bit... dead... (that was funny too, lighten up Alice!)

"Fellow lords of the Underworld. Allow me to formally welcome you to my humble quadrant of the domain, as well as introduce the young relatives of my friend, Alyss... Dracule," she gestured at me "And Alice." Alice bit back a gasp of surprise as she was indicated, but it showed clearly on her face. "Alice, Dracule, these are my friends and peers. Osiris, Hades, and Pluto." Hel made sure to point out each one as she introduced them, the settled back in her seat... her seat that put humans most exquisite thrones to pitiful shame. I was jerked out of my puzzled thoughts by Hel continuing to speak. "You must be wondering why I summoned you on such short notice?" I blinked and realised she was talking to the other gods present when they nodded "Well, you remember that... item... we discussed four hundred years ago?" This was met with a 'Yeah' from Osiris, 'Mhmph' from Hades and an 'Indeed' from Pluto. Alice and I were suddenly sitting alone, the gods had just... vanished!

After not to long of a wait, they strolled in the door as though nothing happened. I opened my mouth to demand an explanation, but Alice beat me to it "Where were you guys!?" Her voice was a bit too shrill for my liking, but that's to be expected I guess. Hel smiled as warmly as possible with half of a mouth "Do you children need something to do?" My eyes narrowed... this was a very odd question, so I nudged Alice before she could speak and shook my head lightly at her. Fortunately she took the hint and closed her mouth. "Why? What is it that you think you might con us into?" Osiris chuckled lightly and elbowed Pluto, who didn't look very happy about that, but his eyes lit in amusement at whatever Osiris muttered right after.

My ' _dear_ ' sister and I sat in an express train, you know... the type humans ditched years ago? We were waiting to go to the surface, both with newfound powers. Alice was gleefully testing these, as Hel had both frightened her and became her role model at the same time... and Hel had chosen to share her powers with Alice while Hades allowed me his own... as his twin, Pluto, was being stubborn and refusing to allow a "Semi-mortal" his power, and Osiris insisted what he had to offer would do no good where we were going for our 'quest'. Oh... I didn't mention that? Sorry... yes I agreed to they proposed mission. It'll take Alice and I at least three weeks to succeed, possibly more.

What we're doing is simple: obtain fresh pickled hen's teeth and frozen Wyvern fire. Unfortunately, none of the stores in the world sell that exotic stuff, so we have to fight the Wyverns and Chox, giant carnivorous chickens, on our own. Fun, right? Nope.

Alice

I'll just take over now. (No you may NOT!) It was Drake's idea to ride the train, I personally loathe anything that removes my feet from the ground... that's not the point though. I don't see how Drake can be so... so stoic about something as awesome as this power we got! It's AMAZING! She just doesn't understand the value. Yeah! That's it...he (er... _she_...) doesn't understand the value of a God's power and doesn't care either. But I think it's so cool I can cloak myself in darkness, rendering myself invisible to mortal creatures! Oh... I'll stop babbling, but I couldn't wait to reach the surface and start hunting for those thingies Drake talked about to prove we are worthy of our God-given powers (yes your jokes are bad, mine aren't. Deal with it and don't insult me!)


End file.
